Kanemaru

Kanemaru is presented as the supposed straight man of the Old Yorozuya, occupying the role that Shimura Shinpachi fills in the present group.

Despite that description, almost everything about him is absurdly excessive. His muscular physique, sunglasses and gun arm make Gintoki's claim that he was simply the old version of Shinpachi increasingly difficult to accept.

Kanemaru also develops a personal life independent of Gintoki, eventually becoming romantically involved with another member of the old group.

Kanemaru formerly worked as an assassin under the name Black Dragon.

His right arm contains a "Psycho Gun," a weapon modeled after Cobra's signature arm cannon from Space Adventure Cobra. This allows him to fire directly from the prosthetic-looking limb.

His large physique suggests substantial physical strength, although the Old Yorozuya story is presented primarily as a parody rather than a serious showcase of his combat abilities.

Kanemaru appears when Shinpachi and Kagura discover old photographs hidden behind the Yorozuya sign. Sakata Gintoki claims the pictures document the people who worked with him before his current employees arrived.

According to Gintoki, Kanemaru occupied Shinpachi's role in this previous team. Gintoki recounts various stories about him while the increasingly bizarre photographs make the supposed history difficult to take seriously.

Kanemaru and Ikezawa eventually become romantically involved and begin distancing themselves from Gintoki. Gintoki responds by tying the pair up and throwing them from a bridge.

The Old Yorozuya sequence functions as a parody of retrospective cast replacements and fabricated backstory, with Kanemaru himself drawing heavily on Space Cobra.

Sakata Gintoki claims Kanemaru was one of his original Yorozuya employees.

Ikezawa is Kanemaru's fellow Old Yorozuya member. The two become romantically involved before Gintoki throws them from a bridge.

Furuhashi is another member of the Old Yorozuya and the supposed predecessor to Sadaharu.

Beautiful Fleshy Woman is another associate of the Old Yorozuya.

Shimura Shinpachi is presented as Kanemaru's counterpart in the current Yorozuya.